TURKISH AMBASSADOR'S DESIRE FOR FRIENDSHIP WITH ISRAEL TEMPERED ED BY CAUTION AND CONCERN 

 

An exclusive presentation by the Turkish ambassador to Canada to an intimate group of Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) supporters featured statements of warmth and friendship by the ambassador for the State of Israel and Jews around the world.

 

Ambassador Rafet Akgunay, accompanied by his wife Zeynep and the Turkish Consul General Ali Riza Guney, set the tone for the evening with his opening remarks as he wished the group a "Chag Sameach" and declared, "I know we are among friends and please be assured you see a friend of Israel and Jewish co

(L-R): York Regional Police Inspector Ricky Veerappan, Avi Benlolo, Ambassador Rafet Akgunay, York Regional Police Chief Eric Joliffe, Turkish Consul General Ali Riza Guney & York Regional Police Sergeant Paul Chiang

mmunities."

 

The ambassador, who has served in such diverse countries as China, Italy, the US and Greece, was also a member of the Turkish embassy contingent in Tel Aviv in the early 1980's. His message was one of friendship, as well as concern for the future of the relationship between Turkey and Israel and unease about the outcome of the Arab Spring and what the end result may mean for the entire region.

 

Noting that Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Israel (and that offensive shampoo ads featuring Hitler had been removed from Turkish TV), the ambassador emphasized, "We need each other more than ever before. . . I'm sure Israel is as worried as we are with the developments in Syria, and to see what will be the outcome at the end of the day in Egypt, Libya and so on, because these countries surround us and the fire may come to our homes as well," adding, "we need to share our experiences, extend our hands and work to help each other."

 

However, in addressing the 'elephant in the room' - the difficult issue of the Mavi Marmara and the Gaza flotilla, both sides could not find agreement on the incident and differing interpretations of the UN report on the episode were clearly in evidence. "Our friendship is so deep rooted that we cannot turn back, but we need to repair the breach and we need to repair it soon," advised the Ambassador.

 

"Ambassador Akgunay's visit was an opportunity to dialogue, develop understanding for both sides,  build bridges and to improve our relationship with the Turkish people.  Although there is significant work to be done to regain trust on both sides, the alternative to friendship is not desirable by either party" noted Avi Benlolo, President and CEO of FSWC.
 

A POWERFUL PERSONAL RESPONSE TO THE TRAGEDY IN TOULOUSE

 

By Stockwell Day

 

The following excerpt from the blog of former Canadian politician Stockwell Day was written in response to the tragic shootings in Toulouse, France.

 

A wonderful rabbi and beautiful children were massacred for one reason and one reason only - they were Jews. 

 

Every one of us who is not Jewish must link arms in a virtual and virtuous circle of protection of the Jewish people around the globe, wherever they live.

 

Those who allow toxic anti-Semitic thoughts to brew chillingly deep within their depraved hearts and minds must know beyond all doubt that we will not allow Jews to stand, and sometimes perish, alone.

 

The minds of potential perpetrators, in the nascent  stages of their inhuman murderous fantasies, must also be inhabited with images of untold millions of all creeds and cultures linking their arms and hearts around Jews everywhere. We must be visibly unintimidated,

unexcusing, utterly unaccepting of any such perversion of thought or action.

 

Potential and existential murderers must hear the cry of our hearts, the non-Jews of the planet, that we will never accept their perverted machinations. An attack on a Jewish grandchild is an attack on my grandchild. The murder of a Jewish parent is the murder of my

parents. When Jews are targeted for destruction, we are all targeted. Let us lift and link our arms together, in plain view, and not just to comfort and console.  

 

As now 'the bell tolls' for each of us, so must the sound of our alarms for the protection of innocent Jews be heard without ceasing around the world.

 

Only then may 'Never Again' become a reality.

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL BLOG POSTING

YOM HASHOAH TRIBUTE RESPONSE OVERWHELMING

 

The need for increased Holocaust education is the guiding principle in FSWC's upcoming Holocaust commemoration on April 19, with a planned Tribute to Holocaust survivors drawing a tremendous response from survivors who have been invited to be a part of the program.

 

The Tribute is the opening segment of the commemoration, which includes the presentation of the Canadian Premiere of the critically acclaimed one-man play, Nazi Hunter - Simon Wiesenthal; the event is a unique way to not only provide insight into the life and legacy of Simon Wiesenthal, but to engage younger generations about the Holocaust through the arts.

 

Holocaust Survivor Committee member Otto Friedman says that, as a survivor, this commemoration is especially meaningful. "It is not easy for me to re-live the years of the Holocaust, but how can I ever forget my father? How can I ever forget the six million innocent victims killed by hate? I will never forget as long as I live. We must never forget. We must ensure and teach future generations what happened to our people because their only crime was being a Jew."

 

For tickets to the April 19 event at the Toronto Center for the Arts please contact Stephanie at 416.864.9735 x 22 or email seldridge@fswc.ca 

 

CAMPUS UPDATE

 

Time to banish the "A" word

 

In separate presentations at Ottawa's Carleton University and the University of Ottawa, Dr. Mitchell Bard discussed the challenges currently facing Israel, - including the threat of a nuclear Iran, the shifting balance of power in the Middle East and the need to banish the "A" word to stop the linking of Israel with the "Big Lie" of apartheid.

 

Dr. Bard, whose recent presentations were sponsored by FSWC in partnership with the Israel Awareness Committee of Ottawa, is a leading expert in analyzing Middle-East policy and the Executive Director of The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise.  

 

"I enjoyed meeting Dr. Mitchell Bard and hearing his shrewd, often frank insights on how the Obama administration has addressed the Iranian nuclear threat, the rise of Islamism in light of the Arab Spring, and the ongoing barriers to the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations," said University of Ottawa student Adam Moscoe.  "Dr. Bard offered a broad view of the Middle East which contextualized the challenges facing Israel in its tough neighbourhood." 

 A CELEBRATION OF JEWISH CULTURE - IN POLAND!

An intimate group of FSWC supporters were privileged to meet with Janusz Makuch, Founder and Director of Europe's largest Jewish Cultural Festival - the Krakow

 

Conversation among students at the start of an FSWC workshop on digital hate shows the need for greater awareness and education to tackle the increasing proliferation of bullying online; after learning that written torments led a teenager to commit suicide, one student questioned why the victimized teen had opened herself to ridicule online, saying, ""if she was going to put herself on YouTube she had to be ready for the negative comments that were bound to come her way."

 

"Blaming the victim in any situation is dangerous; however, when it comes to cyber-bullying it is a greater concern. Students need to understand that the victim is never at fault and that every individual who posts online must be responsible for their own words and actions," says Melissa Mikel, FSWC Managing Director of Education. "Our workshops teach students that instead of contributing to hatred online, they need to stand up to cyberbullies and offer friendship and support to those who are victimized."

 

SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER DENOUNCES OUTRAGEOUS COMPARISON OF THE DALAI LAMA TO NAZI PERPETRATORS OF THE HOLOCAUST

  

March 25, 2012 - The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading Jewish Human Rights NGO denounced China's state-run media for equating Nobel Prize winner, the Dalai Lama to the Nazi perpetrator of the World War II Holocaust during which 6 million Jews were systematically murdered. According to the New York Times, the commentary was posted on China Tibet Online and carried by the official Xinhua News Agency. It accused the Dalai Lama of advocating policies that would result in the expulsion of ethnic Han Chinese from historically Tibetan parts of the country. "The remarks of the Dalai Lama remind us of the cruel Nazis during the Second World War," it stated, adding, "How similar it is to the Holocaust committed by Hitler on the Jews!" the commentary charged.

 

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